U.S. Drone Strike Kills 6 in Pakistan, Fueling Anger

[cali]

At least six people were killed in an American drone strike in Pakistan’s restive northwestern tribal areas early Friday, according to government officials and local news reports.

The American drone strike was directed at a house in the Ghulam Khan area of the North Waziristan tribal region, close to the border with Afghanistan. The identities of those killed were not immediately clear. North Waziristan has long been a haven for Taliban and Qaeda militants.

Still, American drone strikes are deeply unpopular in the country, and opposition to them has become an essential staple of local politics and grievances against the United States. Pakistani politicians and government officials condemn the missile strikes, which are directed by the C.I.A., as a violation of the country’s sovereignty.

Opposition politicians like Imran Khan, leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf political party, have long campaigned against the strikes, saying that they result more in civilian casualties than militant killings. In October 2012, Mr. Khan led a big protest rally to the edges of the tribal regions against the use of drones on Pakistani soil.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/07/world/asia/us-drone-strike-kills-6-in-pakistan-fueling-anger.html?_r=0

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. Ah the further adventures of Droney

[malaise]

2. Tut Tut child

Those drones spread democracy!

[Celefin]

3. 'Still, American drone strikes are deeply unpopular in the country,...'

No shit. Maybe it even crosses a red line for someone.

The identities of those killed were not immediately clear.

I have a feeling we're going to hear that phrase a lot in the upcoming weeks and months.

[newfie11]

4. America, continuing to make friends all over the world

Give you a warm fuzzy feeling right.

[cali]

5. Pakistanis now hate and fear the U.S.

Poll: Most Pakistanis view U.S. as enemy

According to a new face-to-face survey, 74 percent of Pakistanis view America as an enemy. Tellingly, more Pakistanis have a favorable view of long time arch-enemy India than of the United States.

So say the results of a Pew Research Center poll released on Wednesday, in which 1,206 Pakistanis were surveyed on the U.S.-Pakistan relationship, Islamic extremism, India and their own government.

According to the poll, nearly three out of every four Pakistanis (74 percent) view the United States as an enemy. That's up from 69 percent a year ago. Only 8 percent of poll respondents call America a "partner." Fully 80 percent of Pakistanis gave the U.S. an "unfavorable" rating, a sharp increase from the 68 percent who responded similarly in 2009. Only 12 percent said they held a "favorable" view of the United States.

Read more: http://digitaljournal.com/article/327498#ixzz2e6pJN2V9

[newfie11]

6. Who can blame them

What we have done to them is beyond horrible.
I fear someday our actions will be repaid in a major way.